Wire rack for mounting electronic device on car air vent

ABSTRACT

A wire configured to form a wire rack for mounting an electronic device onto a car air vent having two downward bends at each end for engaging a horizontal louver of a car air vent, the wire rack has a left half which is symmetrical with the right half, and each half has at least one wire loop formed by two contiguous bends connected with a wire segment there between. A first wire loop located in the left half and a corresponding first wire loop located in the right half is oriented to face up for supporting a lower side of an electronic device and a second wire loop located in the left half and a corresponding second wire loop located in the right half oriented to face each other for engaging left and right sides of an electronic device in a vertical position or a horizontal position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wire rack for mounting an electronicdevice onto a car air vent where the wire rack has a left side that issymmetrical with its right side and at least one wire loop in each halfwhere a wire loop which is formed by two contiguous bends connected witha wire segment there between is located in the left half and acorresponding wire loop is located in the right half for supporting alower side of an electronic device in a vertical or horizontal position.

2. Description of Related Art

A variety of holding members for attaching various small hand helddevices to a car air vent are known in the prior art. More specifically,by way of example, U.S. PreGrant Publication No. 2007/0264169 to Chendiscloses a retaining clip for attaching a fragrance container to a coolair vent of an air conditioner comprises a retaining portion and aconnecting portion integrally extended from the retaining portion. Theretaining portion further comprises a pair of up and down arranged firstand second clip arms. The first and the second clip arms are furtherprovided with longitudinal slots. The free end of the first clip arm istilted downward to form a pair of arced retaining sections. The free endof the second clip arm is provided with a pair of sloppy guide sectionscorresponding to the arced retaining section. At least one sloppysupport bulge is formed on the middle section of the second clip arm.The free end of the connecting portion is connected to a fragrancecontainer.

U.S. PreGrant Publication No. 2005/0255898 to Huang discloses a cellphone and holder system. The cell phone holder has a backing plate and acover forming a pocket for holding the cell phone. A cable retainer onthe holder helps to retain a cable of an earphone to the backing plate.The earphone is retractable held at the cell phone holder such that theearphone can be pulled out and place in an ear for hands-free operationof the cell phone.

U.S. PreGrant Publication No. 2005/0236541 to Chang discloses a carrierrack on an air-vent. A resilient lockout is provided that can move backand forth under the pressure of a compression spring and cooperates witha hook and the lockout to form a clasping channel. An arm extends intoair-vent blades through the channel formed by the hook and lockout toclasp air-vent blades for firmly clasping heavy objects.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,888,948 to Deppen discloses a magnetic holder having acup formed of a ferromagnetic material within which a magnet issupported for a cell phone. The rear surface of the cup includes adouble-sided adhesive pad for attaching the cup to a vehicle dashboard.The cup concentrates the force of the magnet along the frontal edgesthereof. A friction ring encircles the frontal edges of the cup toprovide retention of a cell phone secured to the cup by magneticattraction between the magnet and the cell phone battery

U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,232 to Aggeler discloses a device for using theheating and cooling system of a car to control the temperature of abeverage in a container. A sleeve of soft foam has a series of channelsformed on its inside surface. Ribs are disposed between the channels tohold the can in the sleeve. The channels receive warm or cool air fromthe lower end of the sleeve. The sleeve is used with a holder designedto force air flowing horizontally from a vent of a car into the verticalchannels of the sleeve.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,611 to Deaton discloses a device for holding acontainer adjacent to a car vent to either heat or cool the container.The device for holding a container adjacent to the car vent includes afirst annular member for removably receiving the container. The annularmember has an inner surface and an outer surface and a plurality offlanges integrally coupled to the inner surface of the annular memberand which extend toward a central portion of the annular member. A firstcoupler removably couples the first annular member to slats of a carvent. The first coupler comprises a first and second tubular member.Each of the first and second tubular members is elongate and has a firstend and a second end. A bar is integrally coupled to each of the secondends of the first and second tubular members such that the first andsecond tubular members are spaced from each other and extend away fromthe bar in a generally parallel direction with respect to each other.Each of a first pair of shalfs extend outwardly away from one of thefirst and second tubular members and has a hook portion thereon forremovably engaging the slats.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,083 to Hartmann discloses an attachment apparatusfor attaching a vehicle accessory to a vehicle including a mount, abeam, and a clamping member. The beam includes a first end associatedwith a mount, a second end, and a substantially longitudinal slot therebetween. The slot includes a proximal end near the first end of thebeam, a distal end near the second end of the beam, and opposingsidewalls there between. One of the opposing walls has an opening tofacilitate receipt of the vehicle structure into the longitudinal slot.The clamping member is movably positionable along at least a portion ofthe beam between the first and second ends thereof. The clamping memberclamps the vehicle structure there between.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,124 to Wang discloses a hanger including a baseplate having a plurality of transverse slots at different elevations anda hanging member at a front side for holding things. Each transverseslot has two pairs of vertically spaced tongues and an opening betweenthe tongues, a plurality of clamps coupled to the tongues. Each clamphas a mounting rod at one end and a clamping plate at an opposite endfor clamping on the louvers of an automobile's air conditioner, themounting rod has a neck for coupling to one pair of tongues, and aplurality of stop rods coupled to the pairs tongues and stopped againstthe instrument board of the automobile.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,843 to Chandler discloses a beverage holder formounting in an automobile which includes a substantially U-shaped jackethaving a curved front portion, an open back portion, and a top openingfor receiving a conventional beverage container. A pair of hooks orsimilar fasteners is provided on the free ends of the jacket fordemountably securing the holder to the louvers of the air conditioningand heating unit of the automobile. Spacing is provided between thebeverage container and the jacket to allow cooled or heated air from theair conditioning and heating unit to circulate around the beverage.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,773 to Wade discloses a liquid scent deodorantdispenser which has a structural body defining a fill cavity in which athreaded stem closure is rotatably positioned. A fill chamber is incommunication with the cavity, as well as a dispensing reservoir and awick lining an air chamber. Liquid scent deodorant is placed in the fillcavity and enters the fill chamber and reservoir where the wick issaturated, allowing accelerated evaporation into a conditioned forcedairstream of an automobile. The dispenser is attached to a grille orregister by the use of either a “U” clip, an “S” clip, or parallelbrackets

U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,690 to McDowell discloses an air freshener device isdisclosed herein in combination with a forced air source and which has acarrier with scented emitting ingredients arranged in separatespaced-apart cells or compartments in rows and/or columns. The carrierincludes breakable walls for each cell or compartment adapted to releasethe stored ingredient into a stream of oncoming forced air. Attachmentelements secure the carrier to supporting structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is discloseda wire configured to form a wire rack for mounting an electronic deviceonto a car air vent comprising: two downward bends at each end of thewire where the distance between the bends is greater than the width of ahorizontal louver of a car air vent;

the wire rack having a left half, and a right half which is symmetricalwith the left half;

at least one wire loop in each half where the loop is formed by twocontiguous bends connected with a wire segment there between; and

a first wire loop in the left half and a corresponding first wire loopin the right half for supporting a lower side of an electronic device ina vertical position.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of thepresent invention so that those skilled in the art may better understandthe detailed description of the invention that follows. Additionalfeatures of the invention will be described hereinafter that form thesubject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art shouldappreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception andspecific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying otherstructures for carrying out the same purposes of the present inventionand that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scopeof the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following detailed description, theappended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elementsare given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a wire rack for mounting an electronic devicesuch as a cell phone, an IPod, a blackberry, etc in either a verticalposition or a horizontal position on a car air vent in accordance withthe principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the wire rack of FIG. 1 coupled to a car air ventwith an electronic device, shown in a vertical position in accordancewith the principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of the wire rack of FIG. 1 coupled to a car air ventwith an electronic device, shown in a horizontal position in accordancewith the principles of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of another embodiment of a wire rack for mountingan electronic device such as a cell phone, an IPod, a blackberry, etc ina horizontal position on car air vent in accordance with the principlesof the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of another embodiment of a wire rack for mountingan electronic device such as a cell phone, an IPod, a blackberry, etc ina horizontal or vertical position on a car air vent in accordance withthe principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a rear view of a wire rack formounting an electronic device such as a cell phone, an IPod, ablackberry, etc in either a vertical position or a horizontal positionon car air vent in accordance with the principles of the invention.

The wire rack disclosed is configured for mounting to any conventionalcar air vent of the type that has movable louvers which extendhorizontally.

The wire rack 10 is made of a single flexible or semi-flexible metallicwire 12 which has been coated with a suitable plastic material. The wirerack is symmetrical about its center vertical axis. Therefore, thedescription of the various bends in the wire rack which appears below isfrom one end 14 of the wire of the wire rack to the center of the wirerack for the front right half, it being understood that the descriptionof the various loops which are formed by two contiguous bends connectedwith a wire segment there between in the front left half of the wirerack is the same for the description for the front right half of thewire rack.

An end 14 of the wire is bent to form a down projecting hook which isadapted to be inserted between adjacent horizontal louvers of a car airvent and engage a rear edge of the lower louver. At a distance which isslightly greater than the width of the horizontal louver, the wire isbent at a right angle 16 and extends downward to right angle bend 18 fora distance which is less than the height of the electronic device thatis to be received. At bend 18 the wire is bent to the front and is thenbent upward at bend 20 where the distance between bends 18, 20 isgreater than the thickness of the electronic device that is to bemounted in the wire rack. At some convenient distance from end 20, suchas three eighths of an inch, more or less, the wire is bent at a rightangle 22 to the right. Then, at location 24 the wire is bent at a rightangle toward the back, and at location 26, the wire is bent at a rightangle to the left. The distance between bends 24, 26 is substantiallyequal to the distance between bends 18, 20. At a location 28 which isspaced from bend 26 at a distance which is substantially equal to thedistance between bends 22, 24, the wire is bent upward and toward theright at an angle of between 20 degrees and 60 degrees to location 30where it is bent at ninety degrees toward the front. At location 32 thewire is bent ninety degrees to the left and then, at location 34, it isbent down at an angle of ninety degrees. At location 34, it is then bentdown at a right angle to location 36, where it is bent toward the backto location 38 where the distance between bends 36, 38 is substantiallyequal to the distance between bends 30, 32 At location 38 the wire isbent upward at an angle toward the center of the rack where a loop 40having a turned down end 42 is formed to engage and hold the top of anelectronic device.

As noted above, the left half of the wire rack from downward projectinghook 14 to loop 40 is symmetrical about its right half from downwardprojecting hook 14 to loop 40. Therefore, the various bends in the lefthalf are given similar reference numbers as their corresponding bends inthe right half. Furthermore, as the left and right half of the wire rackare similar, in the interest of brevity a description of the variousbends in the left half of the wire rack, which would be a repeat of theright half, is deemed not necessary and, therefore, is not here againrepeated.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is shown a view of the wire rackof

FIG. 1 coupled to a car air vent and holding an electronic device, shownin a vertical position in accordance with the principles of theinvention. The bottom of the electronic device is supported by thesegments of the wire rack between bends 18, 20 of the left and righthalf, and the lower left and right corners of the electronic device areheld captive in wire loops formed by bends 22, 24, 26, and 28 of theleft and right half of the wire rack. Loop 40 engages the top of theelectronic device.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, there is shown a view of the wire rackof FIG. 1 coupled to a car air vent with an electronic device, shown ina horizontal position in accordance with the principles of theinvention. The bottom of the electronic device is supported by thesegments of the wire rack between bends 36, 38 of the left and righthalf, and the lower left and right corners of the electronic device areheld captive in wire loops formed by bends 30, 32, 34, and the wire frombends 28, 30 of the left and right half of the wire rack. Loop 40engages the top of the electronic device.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a front view of another embodimentof a wire rack for mounting an electronic device such as a cell phone,an IPod, a blackberry, etc in a horizontal position on car air vent inaccordance with the principles of the invention.

Referring to the left half of the wire rack, an end 50 of the wire isbent to form a down projecting hook which is adapted to be insertedbetween adjacent horizontal louvers and engage a rear edge of a lowerlouver. At a distance which is slightly greater than the width of thehorizontal louver, the wire is bent at a right angle 52 and extendsdownward to where the wire is bent at a right angle 54 toward the left.The distance between bends 52, 54 is less than the width of theelectronic device that is to be mounted horizontally. The wire is thenbent toward the front at 56, and then toward the right at 58. Atlocation 60 the wire is bent downward at a right angle to location 62where it is bent at a right angle toward the back. At location 64, thewire is bent upward at an angle toward the center of the rack where aloop 68 having a turned down end 70 is formed to engage and hold the endof an electronic device that is mounted horizontally. The distancebetween bends 56, 58 is greater than the thickness of the electronicdevice and the distance between bends 56, 58 on the left and right sidesof the wire rack is slightly greater than the length of the electronicdevice that is to be mounted in the wire rack.

The right half of the wire rack from downward projecting hook 50 to loop68 is similar to the left half from downward projecting hook 50 to loop68.

Therefore, the various bends in the right half of the wire rack aregiven similar reference numbers as their corresponding bends in the lefthalf. Furthermore, as the left and right half of the wire rack aresimilar, in the interest of brevity a description of the various bendsin the right half of the wire rack, which would be a repeat of the lefthalf, is deemed not necessary and is not here again repeated.

In use, the wire rack of FIG. 4 is coupled to a car air vent and anelectronic device, not shown, is mounted to the wire rack, in ahorizontal position. The bottom of the electronic device is supported bythe segments of the wire rack between bends 62, 64 of the left and righthalf, and the lower left and right corners of the electronic device areheld captive in wire loops formed by bends 60, 58, 56, and the wire frombend 56 of the left and right half of the wire rack to the loop 68. Loop68 engages the top side of the electronic device.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a front view of another embodimentof a wire rack for mounting an electronic device such as a cell phone,an IPod, a blackberry, etc. where the wire rack of FIG. 4 for mountingan electronic device in a horizontal position is connected to a wirerack for mounting the electronic device in a vertical position inaccordance with the principles of the invention.

Referring to the wire rack for holding an electronic device in avertical position, shown in FIG. 5, an end 80 is bent to form a U shapedhook which is located around the bend 54 of the wire rack for holding anelectronic device in a horizontal position. From, the U shaped hook 80on the right half of the wire rack, the wire extends downward tolocation 82 where it is bent at a right angle to the front. At location84 the wire is bent up at a right angle to location 86 where it is bentat a right angle to the right. From bend 86, and at location 88, thewire is bent at a right angle toward the back, and then at a right angle90 to the left. From bend 90 on the right hand side of the wire rack, itextends to bend 90 on the left hand side of the wire rack.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the left half of thewire rack from hook 80 to bend 90 is similar to its right half and,therefore, the various bends in the left half of the wire rack are givensimilar reference numbers as the corresponding bends in the right halfof the wire rack. Furthermore, as the left and right half of the wirerack are similar, in the interest of brevity a description of thevarious bends in the left half of the wire rack, is deemed not necessaryand is not here again repeated.

In use, the wire rack of FIG. 5 is coupled to a car air vent and anelectronic device, not shown, is mounted in the wire rack, in either ahorizontal position or a vertical position. When the electronic deviceis mounted in a horizontal position, the bottom of the electronic deviceis supported by the segments of the wire rack between bends 62, 64 ofthe left and right half, and the lower left and right corners of theelectronic device are held captive in wire loops formed by bends 60, 58,56, and the wire from bend 56 of the left and right half of the wirerack to the loop 68. Loop 68 engages the top side of the electronicdevice.

When the electronic device is to be mounted in a vertical position, thebottom of the electronic device is supported by the segments of the wirerack between bends 82, 84 of the left and right half, and the lower leftand right corners of the electronic device are held captive in wireloops formed by bends 86, 88, and 90, and the wire from bend 90 of theleft and right half of the wire rack. Loop 68 engages the top side ofthe electronic device.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferredembodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered asillustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended tobe exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described toprovide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and itspractical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art toutilize the invention in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All suchmodifications and variations are within the scope of the invention asdetermined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance withthe breadth to which they are entitled.

1. A wire configured to form a wire rack for mounting an electronicdevice onto a car air vent comprising: two downward bends at each end ofthe wire where the distance between the bends is greater than the widthof a horizontal louver of a car air vent; the wire rack having a lefthalf and a right half which is symmetrical with the left half; at leastone wire loop in each half where a loop is formed by two contiguousbends connected with a wire segment there between; and a first wire loopin the left half and a corresponding first wire loop in the right halffor supporting a lower side of an electronic device in a verticalposition.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first wire loop in theleft half and the corresponding first wire loop in the right half areoriented to provide loops that face up.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2further comprising: a second wire loop in the left half and acorresponding second wire loop in the right half for engaging left andright lower sides of an electronic device in a vertical position.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3 wherein the second wire loop in the left half andthe corresponding second wire loop in the right half are oriented toprovide loops that face sideways toward each other.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 1 further comprising; a third wire loop located in said left andright half for engaging a top side of an electronic device in a verticalposition.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said third wire loop isoriented to face down.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said thirdwire loop is common to the left and right half of the wire rack.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fourth wire loop in the lefthalf and a corresponding fourth wire loop in the right half forsupporting lower side of an electronic device in a horizontal position.9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fourth wire loop in the lefthalf and the corresponding fourth wire loop in the right half areoriented to provide loops that face up.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9further comprising: a fifth wire loop in the left half and acorresponding fifth wire loop in the right half for engaging left andright lower sides of an electronic device in a horizontal position. 11.The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fifth wire loop in the left halfand the corresponding fifth wire loop in the right half are oriented toprovide loops that face sideways toward each other.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 8 further comprising: a sixth wire loop located in said left andright half for engaging a top side of an electronic device in ahorizontal position.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said sixthwire loop is oriented to face down.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13wherein said sixth wire loop is common to the left and right half of thewire rack.
 15. A wire configured to form a wire rack for mounting anelectronic device onto a car air vent comprising: two downward bends ateach end of the wire where the distance between the bends is greaterthan the width of a horizontal louver of a car air vent; the wire rackhaving a left half and a right half which is symmetrical with the lefthalf; at least one wire loop in each half where a loop is formed by twocontiguous bends connected with a wire segment there between; and afirst wire loop in the left half and a corresponding first wire loop inthe right half for supporting lower side of an electronic device in ahorizontal position.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the firstwire loop in the left half and the corresponding first wire loop in theright half are oriented to provide loops that face up.
 17. The apparatusof claim 16 further comprising: a second wire loop in the left half anda corresponding second wire loop in the right half for engaging left andright lower sides of an electronic device in a horizontal position. 18.The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second wire loop in the left halfand the corresponding second wire loop in the right half are oriented toprovide loops that face sideways toward each other.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 15 further comprising; a third wire loop located in said left andright half for engaging a top side of an electronic device in ahorizontal position.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said thirdwire loop is oriented to face down.